Wretched #/**##** Christmas tree lights!

I share your frustration Witzend. We bought a new star for outside which comes on and switches itself off and are still trying to work out how to override the setting.

It comes on too early and goes off too early.

I agree, very frustrating. Setting up for a Christmas tree festival we tested our lights. New batteries in and all well. Spent ages arranging them nicely on our tree, then noticed a wire had come out of the control box. Took them all off and luckily we had a spare set which were fine, but it took ages.

Our newest lights (about 3 years old) are useless - whatever setting you set it just works it's way through all the different patterns. I really hate flashing lights and just want them to twinkle slowly. Can't even get them to stay on the ON setting. Our older lights (about 12 years old but still working beautifully) can be set for whichever pattern you want.

I bought some this morning to hang along the bedroom wall of a loved one in a nursing home. He’s in the late stages of dementia and in bed 24hrs a day and I just wanted a calm background light ( not a disco!). I should have paid more attention as I didn't realise there are 7 functions and 6 of them are flashing. If only the calm static one came on first but it takes 6 presses of the button to find that one.

I’ll need to return them as I can’t expect the staff to be flicking through the lights looking for the static setting every time they switch them on.

I bought some extra lights the other day to add a bit of ooomph.All well and good but now can’t find any of the old lights at all, a real mystery.Not in the loft or any of the cupboards.Am sure there are some flashing warm white lights and some multicoloured as well.
In answer to the OP, I think all lights now are multifunction and I don’t want flashing or twinkling ones either.

I wouldn’t mind the flashing/twinkling options, if it was easy to choose the just ON option. As for the blasted ‘automatic timer’ we still haven’t worked that out.
Why can’t anything be simple? All these gadgety bells and whistles drive me potty!

With automatic timers you switch them on at a time you would like your lights to come on and they go off about six hours later. If you leave it alone it should then come on again and go off at the same time the next day and everyday.

It’s usually six hours but I do have one that is only four hours?

Last year, we didn't have a tree, I just couldn't be bothered! (I have depression, am bi-polar and suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder). This year, bah humbug to tree lights, I've bought a pre-lit tree, ad it had better be as good as it's pictures suggest, for the sake of future Christmases! Lol

I have the same issue, my Christmas lights that had lasted well since the 90’s are now dead, and trying to find replacements that are warm, and multi coloured is a nightmare. I can’t get on with the flashing ones as they set off my migraines. Bah humbug. I remember someone saying a while ago M&S had some of the old fashioned electric not led ones….

I think we bought the same set of lights as you Grannynannywanny . Drives me potty too!